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University of Virginia Library

Fletcher, John (1579-1625)

To the Stationer.

IN MEMORY OF Mr. Iohn Fletcher.

On Mr John Fletcher, and his Workes, never before published.

ON Mr Fletchers Works.

ON THE Deceased Authour, Mr John Fletcher, his Plays; and especially, The Mad Lover.

Upon the Works of Beaumont, and Fletcher.

On the Works of the most excellent Dramatick Poet, Mr. John Fletcher, never before Printed.

To the memory of my most honoured kinsman, Mr. Francis Beaumont.

On Mr. JOHN FLETCHER'S VVorkes.

Vpon Mr. John Fletcher's Playes.

To FLETCHER Reviv'd.

On Master JOHN FLETCHERS Dramaticall Poems.

Vpon Master FLETCHERS Dramaticall Workes.

On the Edition.

On the Edition of Mr Francis Beaumonts, and Mr John Fletchers Playes never printed before.

On the Dramatick Poems of Mr John Fletcher.

To the Manes of the celebrated Poets and Fellow-writers, Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher, upon the Printing of their excellent Dramatick Poems.

To the desert of the Author in his most Ingenious Pieces.

On Mr BEAVMONT. (Written thirty yeares since, presently after his death.)

UPON Mr FLETCHERS Incomparable Playes.

On the Workes of Beaumont and Fletcher, now at length printed.

Upon the report of the printing of the Dramaticall Poems of Master John Fletcher, collected before, and now set forth in one Volume.

On Mr Francis Beaumont (then newly dead.)

To Mr Francis Beaumont (then living.)

Upon Master Fletchers Incomparable Playes.

On the happy Collection of Master FLETCHER'S Works, never before Printed.

To the memorie of Master FLETCHER.

Vpon the ever to be admired Mr. John Fletcher and His PLAYES.

IN HONOUR OF Mr John Fletcher.

Master John Fletcher his dramaticall Workes now at last printed.

Upon the unparalelld Playes written by those Renowned Twinnes of Poetry Beaumont & Fletcher.

On the Death and workes of Mr John Fletcher.

On Mr. John Fletcer's ever to be admired Dramaticall Works.

To the memory of the deceased but ever-living Authour in these his Poems, Mr. JOHN FLETCHER.

Upon the Printing of Mr. Iohn Fletchers workes.

1.

2.

Actus Secundus.

3.

4.

5.

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On the Dramatick Poems of Mr John Fletcher.

Wonder! who's here? Fletcher, long buried
Reviv'd? Tis he! hee's risen from the Dead,
His winding sheet put off, walks above ground,
Shakes off his Fetters, and is better bound.
And may he not, if rightly understood,
Prove Playes are lawfull? he hath made them Good.
Is any Lover Mad? see here Loves Cure;
Vnmarried? to a Wife he may be sure
A rare one, For a Moneth; if she displease,
The Spanish Curate gives a Writ of ease.
Enquire The Custome of the Country, then
Shall the French Lawyer set you free againe.
If the two Faire Maids take it wondrous ill,
(One of the Inne, the other of the Mill,)
That th'Lovers Progresse stopt, and they defam'd;
Here's that makes Women Pleas'd, and Tamer tam'd.
But who then playes the Coxcombe, or will trie
His Wit at severall Weapons, or else die?
Nice Valour and he doubts not to engage
The Noble Gentl'man, in Loves Pilgrimage,
To take revenge on the False One, and run
The Honest mans Fortune, to be undone
Like Knight of Malta, or else Captaine be
Or th'Humerous Lieutenant: goe to Sea
(A Voyage for to starve) hee's very loath,
Till we are all at peace, to sweare an Oath,
That then the Loyall Subject may have leave
To lye from Beggers Bush, and undeceive
The Creditor, discharge his debts; Why so,
Since we can't pay to Fletcher what we owe.
Oh could his Prophetesse but tell one Chance,
When that the Pilgrimes shall returne from France.
And once more make this Kingdome, as of late,
The Island Princesse, and we celebrate
A Double Marriage; every one to bring
To Fletchers memory his offering.
That thus at last unsequesters the Stage,
Brings backe the Silver, and the Golden Age.

Robert Gardiner.